Differential scanning calorimeter

Abstract

There is provided a differential scanning calorimeter possessing an accommodation chamber accommodating a sample to be measured and a reference material, a heater heating the accommodation chamber, a differential heat flow detector outputting a temperature difference between the sample to be measured and the reference material as a heat flow difference signal, a cooling block cooling-controlled to a predetermined temperature, a heat resistor which mechanically connects the cooling block and the accommodation chamber and forms a heat flow path between both, a first fixation means which fixes the heat resistor to the cooling block by pressing the former while being biased by a constant elastic force, and a second fixation means which fixes the accommodation chamber to the heat resistor by pressing the former while being biased by a constant elastic force.

1. A differential scanning calorimeter comprising:
 an accommodation chamber accommodating therein a sample to be measured and a reference material; 
 a heater attached so as to surround a periphery of the accommodation chamber to thereby heat the accommodation chamber; 
 a differential heat flow detector which is provided in the accommodation chamber, detects a temperature difference between the sample to be measured and the reference material, and outputs the temperature difference having been detected as a heat flow difference signal; 
 a cooling block which is disposed below the accommodation chamber while being separated by a constant distance, and cooling-controlled to a predetermined temperature; 
 a heat resistor, for controlling heat transfer, which is formed so as to have a predetermined heat resistance, interposed between the cooling block and the accommodation chamber to thereby mechanically connect both, and forms a heat flow path between the cooling block and the accommodation chamber; 
 a support means supporting the cooling block; and 
 a fixation means of at least any one between a first fixation means which fixes the heat resistor to the cooling block by pressing the former while being biased by a constant elastic force, and a second fixation means which fixes the accommodation chamber to the heat resistor by pressing the former while being biased by a constant elastic force. 
 
   
   
     2. A differential scanning calorimeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fixation means comprises a through-hole penetrating an upper face and a lower face of the cooling block, a shaft body which is movably inserted into the through-hole, whose one end is fixed to the heat resistor, and whose the other end protrudes to an outward of the cooling block from an inside of the through-hole, a nut meshed with the other end side of the shaft body, and a coil spring which is covered to the shaft body so as to surround a periphery of the shaft body under a state having been nipped between the nut and the cooling block, and biases the shaft body toward the other end side by an elastic force, the elastic force of the coil spring being made adjustable by moving the nut by a mesh in an axial direction of the shaft body. 
   
   
     3. A differential scanning calorimeter according to  claim 2 , wherein the coil spring is formed by a material made of a heat-resistant alloy. 
   
   
     4. A differential scanning calorimeter according to  claim 2 , wherein an annular bushing comprising ceramic is covered to the shaft body so as to surround the periphery of the shaft body under a state having been nipped between the coil spring and the cooling block. 
   
   
     5. A differential scanning calorimeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the second fixation means comprises an opening having been formed in the heat resistor, a second through-hole penetrating an upper face and a lower face of the cooling block, a second coil spring which is movably inserted into both the opening and the second through-hole, whose one end is fixed to the accommodation chamber, and whose the other end is fixed to the support means, thereby biasing the accommodation chamber toward the heat resistor by an elastic force, the second coil spring being fixed to the support means such that its own elastic force is adjustable. 
   
   
     6. A differential scanning calorimeter according to  claim 5 , wherein the accommodation chamber and the coil spring are fixed through a wire material having a heat resistance, and between the accommodation chamber and the coil spring there is separated by a predetermined distance.